Michigan State Fans Quick To Blame Students For Leaving Early, But Team Bailed Much Sooner

It seems that fans of all stripes, despite their differences, share one universal quality: A defensive, knee-jerk reaction to point the finger at those who leave games early when their team is struggling.

Michigan State is certainly no exception. That was on display Saturday.

What am I missing?

Was it the MSU student section that gained just 40 yards of offense between its first possession and the point BYU had iced the game away on Saturday?

Was it the MSU student section that just lost its third straight game?

Was it the MSU student section that just got embarrassed at home for the second straight game, a first under Mark Dantonio?

Has the MSU student section been outscored 99-34 since taking a 36-7 lead on Notre Dame three weeks ago?

In case you haven't noticed, fans generally don't abandon games early when times are good or, you know, their teams haven't completely mailed it in. It's hard to make that case for MSU right now.

The Spartans are struggling, to put it mildly. Now they have a thorough dismantling at home against BYU to add to already-depressing underachievements versus Wisconsin and Indiana. Whatever antonym for impressive you want to use, this is it.

So forgive me if I'm a little underwhelmed by State fans leaving early on Saturday while the team they shell out hundreds of dollars to watch did its best Detroit Lions impression.

The cheapest ticket you could get at face value for the game was $50. And those of us humans who aren't misanthropes like to have company, so that means most people in attendance Saturday spent a bare minimum of $100 to be there. Throw in $20 for parking, God knows how much for concessions, gas money--Saturday's game easily represented a $200 investment for many MSU fans. (Let's also take a moment to remember that a vast majority of fans, unlike college football coaches, aren't millionaires.)

Did any of those people get their $200 worth out of the Spartans versus BYU? I don't think we need to commission a scientific poll to determine the answer is a resounding no.

Look, I get it: This team stinks, and fans want to hold someone--or something--accountable. You want answers for how Dantonio's program has fallen from the ranks of the elite to not being able to sustain competitivity against BYU for three lousy quarters.

And you deserve answers.

But for the love of Joseph Smith (a little BYU-themed levity, you're welcome), don't redirect your anger and abject dissatisfaction with the results on the field toward the teenage and 20-something youths who are trying to live out the best years of their lives.

The reality is Michigan State is 2-3, and two of those three have been complete embarrassments. And yet some Spartan fans are more eager to criticize their student section.

MSU students may have pulled the ripcord early on Saturday, but this team quit far earlier.